


Poster Boys

by Spoon888



Series: Twitter Warm Up Prompt Fills [15]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gladiators, M/M, Megatron Likes A Seeker Who Can Kick His Ass, Pre-Relationship, Starscream being Starscream, Tasteless Propaganda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:07:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27293176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoon888/pseuds/Spoon888
Summary: Starscream bests Megatron in gladiatorial combat, but he still manages to lose.
Relationships: Megatron/Starscream (Transformers)
Series: Twitter Warm Up Prompt Fills [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1719604
Comments: 47
Kudos: 178





	Poster Boys

**Author's Note:**

> For myla_xan on twitter

There was a huge poster in one of the under-arena holes Soundwave affectionately referred to as a Rec Room. 

The poster was of Megatron, his side profile from the waist up, helm tilted back to look up at a dramatically smoggy Kaonite sky, a sword in one hand and the other transformed into a glowing purple energon-mace. He was handsome: unblemished save for some strategically placed battle-scars. He was _far_ too tall, his obnoxiously large nose was _unrealistically_ straight, his helmet _didn't_ look like a misshapen bucket, and surrounding him were swaths of adoring Decepticon followers. 

Starscream hated the glorified image it portrayed of Megatron. Such blatant propaganda was lazy and sickening. That they were even stooping so low as to use Megatron's non-existent sex-appeal to draw in recruits was _embarrassing_. 

Because it should have been _him_ on those cursed posters! 

He stomped into the Rec Room, barged straight through the middle of a game of Tadex, and punched Megatron's smug, superior printed face - forgetting about the solid ultra-steel wall behind it. 

He grasped his throbbing knuckles with a hiss, glaring hatefully at the unaffected poster. 

"Can't even win a fight against an inanimate version of Megatron, huh Screamer?" Blitzwing called, down on his knees where he was grumpily gathering up the pieces of his fallen Tadex tower. 

The pain in Starscream's knuckles was secondary to his indignation now. He kicked a game piece resting beside his foot and nailed Blitzwing right in the optic with it.

"Gah!"

"That great big lumbering fool is hardly a match for me!" Starscream snarled, jabbing a claw at fake-Megatron on the poster. 

"Yeah, cuz he's a two dimensional image trapped inside poster," Astrotrain snorted from over by the spinning dartboard hologram, one of his darts held aloft threateningly, lest Starscream choose to assault him next. 

"Not the poster," Starscream seethed. "The _real_ Megatron!" 

The Rec Room, filled with of a selection of Cybertron's most hardiest, hate-filled sociopaths, erupted in laughter at the outlandish claim. In fact, Blitzwing laughed _so_ hard his powerful vents sucked up one of his Tadex pieces and he started to choke on it. 

Skywarp, who had been sitting on a shelve not at all designed to hold his weight, swung his legs and snorted obnoxiously, "The closest _you_ ever got to actually hurting Megatron was when you forgot to set the security system-"

"That wasn't me!" Starscream's voice reached a new pitch _above_ shrill. 

"-and all those rabid fans got into the barracks and tried to get into the washracks with him," Skywarp continued unhindered. "One punch and you'd be obliterated. His fists are bigger than your head."

"His fists are bigger than my head because whatever cheap _hack_ of an artist they commissioned to create this poster clearly has a fetish!" Starscream protested, pointing at the ridiculously masculine hand wrapped around the equally comical sword on the poster. "The proportions are all over the place..." 

"It looks okay to me," Skywarp tilted his head, studying it. 

"You're not paying enough attention, Screamer, his hands are way bigger than that," Astrotrain argued. "Didn't you see his match against Uproar last weekend? He was twice your size and Megatron crushed _his_ entire head in one hand." 

Skywarp smiled at the fond memory, nodding along, "Wow, imagine what your tiny head would look like crushed in his hand, Starscream?" 

Starscream stared at him. Rarely was he so lost for words. 

"I would pay to see that," Astrotrain grunted quietly, lobbing his dart at the spinning board. 

"S-same-" Blitzwing wheezed on the floor, recovering from his near asphyxiation. 

Ignoring his comrades troublesome fantasies regarding his demise, Starscream straightened up and sneered at them, "Granted, Megatron is stronger than I. I'm not afraid to acknowledge that, but it's an inconsequential detail in the grand scheme of things-"

"How is that inconsequential?!" Skywarp hopped down from his shelf. 

"Because he can't crush me if he cannot _catch_ me," Starscream leaned close to sneer at Skywarp. "And you're forgetting, I know _all_ his moves, his attack patterns, the stupid face he makes when he'd about to make a bad decision-"

"-The face he pulled when he recruited you?" Skywarp guessed. 

"Yes, that one," Starscream steepled his fingers together. "And I think it's high time I reminded you all that it won't be brute strength that wins us this war. But skills. Tactics. _Speed_." 

"So what are you gonna do, Screamer?" Astrotrain tugged his dart out of the board. "'Meet Megatron in the Pit and tell him to square up?" 

"I'd pay to see that as well," Blitzwing hauled himself back into his seat and began to rebuild his Tadex tower. "If I had any credits, I mean." 

"You won't need credits," Starscream said, glaring at the stupid poster hatefully. "Just make sure you're off shift for tomorrow night's games." 

It was high time the Decepticon propaganda machine updated their poster-boy because tomorrow night? Kaon would have a _new_ champion.

* * *

  
Megatron avoided most distractions ahead of a fight, removing himself from all but a rare few, those he could trust not to bother him with inconsequential details such as the size of the audience, the outcomes of the previous matches, the identity of his opponent who would be so naively laying down their worthless life to further the reach of his influence. 

Soundwave was one such mech. He could always be trusted to loiter as silent, soothing company inside his door, never reaching beyond his one duty of informing him when his audience was ready for him. 

Soundwave fidgeted, shuffling in place in clear discomfort. 

The sound roused Megatron from his thoughts and he cracked an optic online, surprised at what was -for Soundwave- a noticeable lack of control. 

"What is it?" 

"Megatron; must remain focused," Soundwave evaded unsubtly. 

"Too late for that now." Megatron pressed, wondering if he should be concerned. 

Soundwave shifted again. "...Concerning the identity of your opponent-"

"No," Megatron waved a hand to stop him, already rising out of his seated position to head towards the Pit entrance, "Spare me the details. I have no interest in knowing the mech I'm about to kill-" 

Soundwave followed him with clear hesitation, and if Megatron didn't know him better, he would have thought nervousness. He furrowed his brow in thought, his curiosity mounting at what it was about this challenger that could possibly have rattled Soundwave.

Perhaps this city had finally spat out a gladiator worthy of her current champion? Doubtful. If Soundwave honestly feared for his safety he'd have to remind his lieutenant _why_ he was the undefeated scourge of Kaon. 

He entered the arena tunnel, activating his battle computer and shutting down all secondary functions to maximise his strategic potential. His sensors filtered out the distractions, muting the the audience's hollering and dulling the lens-flare of the blinding spotlights. He focused on his breathing, regulated the pace of his fuel pump, and loosened up his joints. He was ready. 

The challenger always stepped out first, so Megatron made it a habit to ignore whatever boastful show or intimidating act they put on for the audience. He transformed his right hand into an energon-mace, swinging it to test it's weight-

-But the shimmer of glossed white armour caught his optic from across Pit. He looked up. 

And his mouth fell open. 

Out from the shadowy depths of the second entrance stepped a seeker, the rolling spotlights catching the high-maintenance curves of high-caste wings.

A _seeker_. In the Pit. Challenging the champion. 

And not just any seeker. 

Starscream. 

Seething, Megatron span on his heel in search of an explanation, but was only just quick enough to catch the back of his lieutenant fleeing out the side door. No wonder Soundwave had been nervous! It wasn't _Megatron's_ safety he had been concerned for! 

And it wasn't Starscream's either! 

The idiotic seeker was still circling the pit, basking in the cheers of the audience that wanted little more than to see either of them -and they likely didn't care _which_ \- dead before the end of the night. Megatron's usual focus went out the door, right along with his cowardly lieutenant. 

He was going to _kill_ that seeker. And he wasn't going to do it in the glory of gladiatorial combat either! 

The announcer hadn't even begun his usual suspenseful buildup to Megatron's introduction when he was already stepping out of the tunnel and into the pit. The cheers of the crowd grew at the sight of him. Starscream whipped around, annoyed. 

"Can't you wait your turn?!" He shouted, shrill pitch easily discernible among the low toned chants of the audience. 

"What are you doing, you blasted fool!?" Megatron demanded, shoulders tight with tension, "This isn't what you were recruited for! You're a flier, not a brawler!" 

"Which is exactly why I'm at an advantage here," Starscream struck a confident pose, wings back, hand on cocked hip, leg bent elegantly. (The audience appreciated it. Megatron heard several whistles and bristled). "It's time Kaon had a worthy champion to rally behind." 

Megatron began advancing on him, stalking forwards with his shoulders hunched and head bowed, "They won't find one in you, cretin."

Starscream danced away from him nervously, smirk faltering, "What-What are you doing? The match hasn't started yet-!"

"There isn't going to be a match, idiot. _Get over here!"_

Snarling menacingly at Starscream to 'get over here' through clenched denta probably wasn't going to persuade the seeker into doing so, but at this point Megatron didn't particularly want him to anyway. If the little brat was really so keen on seeing what it was like to be a smear on the arena floor, Megatron would be all too happy to indulge his curiosity. 

If only he could get _ahold_ of him. 

He lunged. Starscream darted out of reach with a less than dignified squawk of surprise, small and damnably nimble. 

"You're ruining this for me!" He cried, running to the edge of the arena, clutching the wall behind him. "At least attack me properly!"

Attacking Starscream 'properly' would result in the exact sort of damage Megatron had been explicitly trying to avoid by banning his precious few seekers from the fights in the first place. There was a great difference between smacking some sense into a disobedient subordinate and swinging an energon-mace into their chest. 

With a snarl of mounting frustration at both the utter spectacle Starscream had turned this into and the fact that he was going to have to exercise some self-restraint by not murdering him -lest he defeat the whole point of this- Megatron dove at him, planing to bodily slam Starscream against the wall he had so conveniently trapped himself. 

But Starscream disappeared, ducking and rolling aside, leaving Megatron to slam face first into the solid arena wall.

Megatron tasted energon. He surged back to his feet, spitting blood to the side when he spotted Starscream stood just two metres away with the broadest smile plastered across his face.

The urge to kill was rising. 

"Fine," Megatron hissed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "You want a match, I'll give you a-"

Starscream flew at him with deadly speed, leaping and becoming airborne with a short burst from his thrusters. He twisted midair, gaining momentum for a spinning kick that caught Megatron across the jaw with a loud _thawk_ that echoed through the arena.

Megatron stumbled back as Starscream landed, seeing double, but reached out blindly and managed to catch a wing. He squeezed and felt it crumple in his grip, and heard Starscream hiss a split-second before claws stabbed into and pierced _through_ the armour of his wrist, forcing him to release his hold before his vambrace was peeled from his protoform. 

His equilibrium had barely recovered when Starscream hit up from below, ramming the heel of his hand into Megatron's nose. It snapped and wet heat and pain bloomed across Megatron's face. He swung out at arm and managed to knock Starscream aside, sending the seeker tumbling in the dirt. 

Dripping with energon and half-blind, Megatron stumbled forward to stamp on him. Starscream rolled onto his back and quick as lightening, drew his leg back and _booted_ Megatron straight in the codpiece. Megatron dropped to his knees, coolant stinging his optics. Starscream scooted back on his aft and scrambled to his feet, ready to do worse if he dared get up. 

Megatron would have, but he couldn't yet trust his shaking legs to hold him upright if he stood. 

"Well, well, well," Starscream purred, starting to realise he'd gotten the better of his leader. He was looking splendidly smug as he stood over Megatron, even with wings lopsided and covered in dust. Megatron detested arrogance but Starscream wore it so well. "How the mighty have fallen." 

"You haven't won yet," Megatron grunted, bracing hands against his thighs as the feeling slowly returned to sensors below his waist. "This is gladiatorial combat. You have to strike the killing blow." 

"Better to let you live with your defeat and humiliation," Starscream's sharp little fangs glinted as he smiled. He lifted his chin to bask in the adoration of his screaming audience. "Now they know who their true champion is." 

"You're no champion," Megatron grunted. 

Starscream's damaged wing flicked in irritation, optics flitting down to glare at Megatron, "Don't make me laug-"

Megatron grabbed Starscream's ankle and yanked. Top heavy thanks to such a generous set of wings, Starscream had no hope of keeping his balance. He fell into his aft with a gasp, and it was all too easy for Megatron to tackle him and pin him flat to the ground, trapping Starscream's legs with his own, his large hands locked around delicate blue wrists. 

Starscream blinked in shock, mouth opening soundlessly. 

"Nothing belongs to fools who stop an inch from the finish line to _gloat_ , Starscream," Megatron purred softly, knowing they were close enough that the seeker would hear him above the thunderous crowd. 

"Next time-" he leant closer, till his bloodied lips were brushing Starscream's and smearing them with energon, "-follow through." 

He felt Starscream twitch beneath him, his large optics frozen wide in shock. 

After a satisfyingly long pause in which the seeker was speechless, Starscream seemed to finally recover, pushing against Megatron's hold more confidently, his brow creasing angrily.

"Are you going to take your own advice?!" He demanded. 

Megatrin pretended to think about it for a moment. "No," he smirked. "I'm going to take yours, and let you 'live with your humiliation and defeat'." 

"Fine," Starscream twisted his head away and huffed into the dirt, his lips stained pink with Megatron's energon, "then you can stop bleeding on me and get off!" 

Megatron thought about keeping him pinned a little longer, but Starscream had proved himself a surprisingly formidable opponent and Megatron was already pushing his luck. 

It would only be fair to let Starscream try again though. 

Perhaps next time in a rather more ...private setting. 

* * *

"I like this poster better," Skywarp beamed up at the fifty foot tall _billboard_ suspended over Kaon's Iron district. "You can tell there's a story behind it. It makes it so much more engaging."

Starscream couldn't bear to look. His hands covered his optics, his face hot with shame. 

"I don't know what you're so upset about," Skywarp just would _not stop talking_. "You said you wanted to be in these propaganda campaigns." 

"Yes!" Starscream tore his hands away from his face to glare at Skywarp. "But not as Megatron's brainless, swooning, _damsel_!" 

He thrust a condemning finger up at the billboard, which did indeed portray Megatron as the usual dashing, sword-welding hero, chest out, chin up.

And then there was Starscream, passive and meek, tucked against Megatron's side and staring up at him with optics filled with awe. His hands splayed across Megatron's powerful chest. One leg bent, foot in the air. Megatron's _oversized_ hand was on his _waist_. Like there was something ... ** _happening_** between them!

"I'm going to burn it down," Starscream promised, shaking with rage, "Then I'm going to burn _Megatron_ down."

"Are you sure you wanna burn it?" Skywarp raised a brow. "You look kinda hot in it. They made your wings bigger." 

Starscream gave it a second glance. 

"...It's not hard to catch _my_ good side though is it." 

"Megatron's hand makes your waist look tiny too." Skywarp pointed. 

"Hmm," Starscream squinted, "I suppose it does..." 

**Author's Note:**

> The billboard stays.


End file.
